I have no problem letting pros post. If the horse needs to have the rider post so they feel more comfortable at that moment in time then the rider should be allowed to post.
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I’ve seen a few riders hang on for dear life to sit the trot, leaning too far back, legs out in front and using the reins to stabilize it all. I’ve also seen riders who can’t post and stay balanced–their legs are in a chair seat position and swing back and forth and their seat plops down on the horse’s back too hard. Obviously these aren’t upper level riders but neither is easy for everyone to do correctly.
I’m all for posting all the time. Mid back issues have made even just riding at a walk painful. If it wasn’t for posting trot I probably wouldn’t be riding at all.
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What USEF show as a Dr Bristol in their regulations is not what Dr Bristol designed.
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That may very well be true.
I have never been able to find a definition of what USEF MEANS by a Dr. Bristol. They ban BOTH Dr. Bristol and French link, so I am pretty sure that both an “original” Dr Bristol, and non-original Dr Bristol are banned.
They need to make the distinction, as the REAL Dr Bristol is a really nice bit.
I agree. As I said, I never understood why they banned it.
But you will have to take it up with USEF and USDF.
And it doesn’t really matter. Any bit with a flat link at any orientation is not permitted.
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Probably because other bits are sold as Dr Bristols, when they are not.
I think they allowed posting for extended trot in 1964 Dressage Olympics:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIeAHzG3mi4
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That was eye opening. 
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We’ve come a long way!
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Fascinating! And clearly he could sit and they didn’t expect them to sit the extended gait…
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as too small for that horse so she gave it a break. Was that fair in your opinion?
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lol. Pretty funny. My bias is the opposite. I’m partial to ponies and small horses myself. I can see more when the horse has to make more than three strides to cross the diagonal. And it is just strange to watch a giant horse in a small ring. My prejudice i think comes from my own size (5’0) and i like the feel of a horse that is built like me.
About sitting the trot… I’ve wished that i could sit the trot or post in Training Level. (as that is probably all i will ever do, and probably just once as i’m guessing competition is not for me). In otherwords, i wish it was optional to sit. And it seems to me that posting the trot should also be optional beyond begining levels. I’ve seen some very unlovely sits. And awkward posting trots too! As a viewer, aesthetics is important. I want to see beauty and harmony and how a rider best accomplishes that seems like the best way to ride the trot.
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The only place where the rider must post in TL is during the stretchy circle.
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OH good! Is that a change or has it always been that way and i misread?
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I don’t know if it has “always” been that way, but certainly since 2011.
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And first level allows you to sit or post with the exception of the stretchy circle as well.
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I was scribing for a judge at a regional champs last week. I asked her about Ms. Lamping’s idea. She said it would be nice not to have to watch people struggle who can’t sit, regardless of the reason. But she said she thinks they should be in a separate class from those who are sitting. I didn’t get the chance to ask her why, but I wish I had.
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There’s a great blog about this on the front page of the Chronicle this morning. Worth a read.
